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Mother and children rescued after vehicle swept into river in San Miguel

March 24, 2023

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Civilians and a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputy helped rescue a woman and her three children who became stuck in the Estrella River in San Miguel Thursday evening after the mother attempted to drive through a water crossing. 

At about 6:15 p.m., 911 callers reported a woman and her three children were stuck in their vehicle at the Estrella River low-water crossing on North River Road in San Miguel. The woman had driven around the road closed signs and attempted to cross through the moving water, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office. The water swept her vehicle off the road and into the river. 

Deputies, Cal Fire personnel and San Miguel firefighters arrived at the scene. When deputies arrived, two civilians were attempting to bring the children to shore through the waist-deep raging river. 

A deputy entered the water and helped all of the children to safety. The deputy then reentered the water and assisted the mother with getting to shore. 

Sheriff’s officials are urging the community to abide by road closures and follow the law. 

“Don’t put your life or the lives of others at risk by circumventing warning signs,” the sheriff’s office stated. 


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Stupidity cannot and should not be a pass for child endangerment. We can’t keep letting these parent’s poor choice of putting innocent children’s lives in danger not have any repercussions, tragedy or not!!!!


CPS needs to step up and take action upon these parents putting their children in danger.


Gates, road closure signs, or detours are all a good deterrant to danger. But at the end of the day it is a parent’s responsibility to keep their child/children from danger, especially young children.


I am still in disbelief that the mother who choose cross a deep creek crossing putting her five year old and her in danger in January this year then chose to be rescued before her child which resulted in the child be swept away never to be seen again did not receive any criminal charges for her poor choice and disregard for her child’s well being or safety. She should have never left her child and made sure he was rescued before herself!!!!


At least in this case the good samaritans saved the children first.


-SLOCAL ONE


0

Hopefully the last stupid thing she does to endanger the lives of her children. Odds likely against it.


30

So the question must be asked: Does the driver speak English? If so/if not does the driver know the rules of the road? Does the driver know what a road block is?

If the answer is no to the above questions, then that driver behind the steering wheel of that vehicle does not belong on the road driving under any circumstances.


28

Perhaps the only foolproof solution to protect careless drivers and their innocent children at these water crossings is for the county to stall locked gates across the full width of the road. SMH


10

“Generally, if a person is suspected of having disregarded known or obvious risks to the safety and well-being of another or others, he or she may be arrested and charged with reckless endangerment.”


20

I agree the locked gates would prevent carelessness.


Carelessness or utter disregard that puts your innocent child’s life at risk should be followed up with criminal charges!!!!!!


Carelessness, stupidity, and a poor choice is what happened in San Miguel in January where an innocent kid lost his life. This type of situation should not be tolerated by our community, their peers, or the law.


Innocent children depend on their parents to protect them and keep them safe.


NOT GATES!!!


-SLOCAL ONE


9

Way too expensive and impractical. I hate to say it, but our decisions with obvious poor outcomes result in natural selection. It’s not like the unpredictable tornado in Alabama that killed 23 people yesterday. Just stop driving through flooded creek and river crossings. Take the day off, stay home.


17

I hope Child Protection Services took note of this stupid act.


15